The Formula Bar

Name Box Formula Bar

A cell can contain any of the following:

• A number (and any associated punctuation, such as decimal points, commas, and currency

symbols).

• Text (including any combination of letters, numbers, and symbols that aren't number-related).

• A formula, which is a math equation.

• A function, which is a named equation that shortcuts an otherwise complex operation.

Navigating and Selecting

Moving around a worksheet is easy! You can easily move from cell to cell by using the arrow keys or pressing tab (will move the cursor to the right) or shift-tab (shift-tab will move you to the left). You can also use your mouse to click within a cell which will select that cell. Sometimes you will want to select a range of cells.

A range is a group of one or more cells. If you select more than one cell at a time, you can then perform actions on the group of them at once, such as applying formatting or clearing the contents. A range can even be an entire worksheet.

A range is referenced by the upper left and lower right cells. For example, the range of cells B1, B2, C1, and C2 would be referred to as B1:C2.

To select a range:

• With the mouse: Drag across the desired cells with the left mouse button held down. Be careful when you're positioning the mouse over the first cell (before pressing the mouse button). Position the pointer over the center of the cell, and not over an edge.

If you drag while the pointer is on the edge of the cell, Excel interprets the selection as a move operation and whatever is in the cell(s) is dragged to a different spot.

• With the keyboard: Select the first cell, and then hold down the Shift key while you press the arrow keys to expand the selection area.

Entering Excel Formulas and Formatting Data

When you enter formulas into your Excel worksheet, the formulas can calculate automatically.

In Microsoft Excel, you can enter numbers and mathematical formulas into cells. Whether you enter a number or a formula, you can reference the cell when you perform mathematical calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. When entering a mathematical formula, precede the formula with an equal sign. Use the following to indicate the type of calculation you wish to perform:

• +: Addition

• -: Subtraction

• *: Multiplication

• /: Division

In the following exercises, you practice some of the methods you can use to move around a worksheet and you learn how to perform mathematical calculations.

AutoSum

You can use the AutoSum button   on the Home tab to automatically add a column or row of numbers. When you press the AutoSum button  , Excel selects the numbers it thinks you want to add. If you then click the check mark on the Formula bar or press the Enter key, Excel adds the numbers. If Excel's guess as to which numbers you want to add is wrong, you can select the cells you want.

Perform Advanced Mathematical Calculations

When you perform mathematical calculations in Excel, be careful of precedence. Calculations are performed from left to right, with multiplication and division performed before addition and subtraction.

Exercise1

Advanced Calculations

1. Move to cell A7.

2. Type =3+3+12/2*4.

3. Press Enter.

Note: Microsoft Excel divides 12 by 2, multiplies the answer by 4, adds 3, and then adds another 3. The answer, 30, displays in cell A7.

To change the order of calculation, use parentheses. Microsoft Excel calculates the information in parentheses first.

1. Double-click in cell A7.

2. Edit the cell to read =(3+3+12)/2*4.

3. Press Enter.

Note: Microsoft Excel adds 3 plus 3 plus 12, divides the answer by 2, and then multiplies the result by 4. The answer, 36, displays in cell A7.